2. Reforms in the British Empire
Main Idea
During the 1800s Great Britain passed many democratic reforms that changed the way people lived and worked.
Reading Focus
How did social and political reforms change life in Britain during the early 1800s?
What reforms helped to shape the Victorian Era?
What changes transformed the British Empire?

3. Social and Political Reforms
During the 1830s industrialization led to rapid changes in British society, and some began to call for social and political reform.
Liberals challenged old aristocratic, conservative order
Reform Act of 1832 gave industrial cities
representation
Gave voting rights to middle-class men who owned certain amount of property
Women excluded from voting
Reform Act of 1832

4. Sadler and the Factory Act
While Parliament debated Reform Act, one member investigated treatment of children in Britain’s textile factories
Michael Sadler showed harmful conditions; noted physical mistreatment, long hours, low wages
Reaction to Report
As a result, Parliament passed Factory Act, 1833
Made it illegal for teenagers to work more than 12 hours per day
Children between ages 9 and 13 had to receive two hours schooling per day

5. Other Reforms
New Laws
1833, Parliament abolished slavery in Great Britain, all British Empire
Parliament also passed new public health and crime laws

6. In 1837 Queen Victoria became the ruler of Great Britain
In 1837 Queen Victoria became the ruler of Great Britain. The Victorian Era lasted until It was a time of great change, including voting reforms that made the country more democratic.

7. Victorian Era Voting Reforms
Benjamin Disraeli
Conservative party wanted to preserve traditions of past power
Law to extend voting rights to more working men
Law to create the secret ballot, discourage bribery, and intimidation
Disraeli

8. William Gladstone
Liberal party took more progressive approach to solving society’s problems
William Gladstone

9. Women’s Suffrage Question of Rights 1867 Reform Bill
1800s, women not seen as equals to men; could not own property, not legal guardians of their children
Queen Victoria fought against women’s suffrage, called it “mad, wicked folly”
Question of Rights
Disraeli argued that if a woman could be queen, they should be able to vote
Suffragists tried but made little progress for nearly 40 years; lobbied, signed petitions, educated public
1867 Reform Bill

10. Women’s Social and Political Union
Early 1900s, women grew more frustrated with slow pace of suffrage movement
Emmeline Pankhurst, founder of Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) said, “You have to make more noise than anybody else.”

11. WSPU continued
Government continued to ignore issue of women’s suffrage
WSPU adopted destructive tactics, even bombings
Many suffragists went to prison
1918, Parliament granted vote to women over age 30
By 1928 voting rights for British women were on the same basis as British men.

13. Changes in the British Empire
1801, Ireland was officially forced to join the United Kingdom
Most Irish hated British rulers, particularly British landlords who had power to evict Irish farmers
Ireland

14. Potato Famine
Mid-1800s, potato crop failed several times, left many with no food, no income
Without money to pay rent, many were evicted from their homes
About 1 million people starved, and about 1.5 million others emigrated—many to the United States.

15. Ireland Exports Resentful of British Rule Self-Government
Ireland was forced to continue to export food through famine years
Shipments left Irish ports for England under heavy guard by British soldiers
British officials believed interfering with trade would harm British economy
Resentful of British Rule
Famine left many Irish more resentful of British rule than ever
1860s, many Irish began to fight for change
Some wanted independence, others home rule within United Kingdom
Self-Government
Parliament debated several bills to grant home rule to Ireland, 1800s
Ireland did not receive limited self-government until 1920

16. Canada Colonies Unity Britain’s colonies in Canada very different
Some mainly French-speaking, others mainly English-speaking
Unity
1838, Lord Durham sent as governor-general to Canada
Wanted colonies to unite and form a “great and powerful people”

17. Diversity of people
Calls for reform
Rebellions in Canadian colonies
Parliament granted colonies power to govern selves
Canada become self-governing dominion

18. Australia
Since 1700s, Britain had used Australia as place to send criminals
Aborigines were displaced
Mid-1800s, other colonists began to settle there, attracted by copper, gold deposits
1901, Britain granted self-rule to Commonwealth of Australia

19. New Zealand
British government made agreement with local Maori people, land in exchange for self-rule
New Zealand became a dominion of Great Britain
1893, New Zealand became first country to give women the right to vote

20. Compare and Contrast
How did self-rule come about in Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand?
Answer(s): potato famine left Irish resentful, 1920: limited self-rule; 1867: British granted some Canadian colonies self-rule; Australia granted self-rule; Maoris in New Zealand exchanged land for self-rule